XINTONG BACK IN THE WINNERS CIRCLE…
CHINESE SNOOKER STAR Zhao Xintong racked up an unimaginable most on his solution to scooping his first novice title since coming back from a 20 month ban.
The 27-year-old former skilled and former UK Championship winner was one among 116 gamers who took the journey to Sweden to play within the QTour Novice Occasion and shortly showcased the shape he had proven previous to receiving the a lot shorter ban than a few of his different compatriots.
Congratulations Zhao Xintong! Q Tour 3 occasion 3 winner.
A number of centuries and a 147 this weekend ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/gEqqkKgEqV
— Vic Snooker Academy (@Vics_Snooker) October 6, 2024
The Stockholm occasion noticed 20 centuries – together with Xintong’s 147, as he defeated Craig Steadman 4 – 3.
Xintong was one among a gaggle of Chinese language gamers who had obtained bans from the game for a interval – his, although, was one of many lighter bans – because the likes of Yan Bingtao won’t be able to return to snooker till 2027 on the earliest.
🗨️ “Proper now it’s all about getting that event feeling and I’m happy to be getting that feeling again.”
Full report on the weekend’s motion at #QTour Europe – Occasion 3 as Zhao Xintong secures the title in Stockholm! 👇
🔗 https://t.co/DDY3M3kHfJ pic.twitter.com/KBSX27Gutj
— WPBSA (@WPBSAofficial) October 6, 2024
Ten Chinese language gamers had been judged to have been concerned in a widespread match-fixing operation that put the game into disrepute.
He was deemed to bear data of others fixing matches and was additionally responsible of betting on snooker matches, however he was acquitted of fixing matches himself – therefore a lighter sentence in comparison with his compatriots.
FROM THE BBC IN 2023…
Liang Wenbo – Age: 35 Rating (Jan 2023): 56. Finalist in 2015 UK Championship
Charged with worrying in fixing matches and approaching gamers to repair matches on the World Snooker Tour, in search of to hinder the WPBSA investigation and failing to cooperate with the investigation.
Li Dangle – Age: 32 Rating: 64.
Charged with worrying in fixing matches and approaching gamers to repair matches, in search of to hinder the investigation and betting on snooker matches.
Liang and Dangle got lifetime bans from the game.
Zhao’s highest break on the principle tour was a 136.
He was catapulted to stardom in 2021 for scooping his first Triple Crown Occasion by beating Luca Brecel, and Brecel additionally went on after to turn out to be a World Champion within the sport.
There have been another notable performances by Austria’s Florian Nuessle, who compiled a 142.
Zhao, nonetheless, returned to the game and commenced his comeback after his shorter ban led to very early September.
He first participated in Q Tour Occasion 2 in Bulgaria final month, however regardless of profitable a few early-round fixtures he misplaced out within the final 64 with defeat to Steadman.
Zhao was ranked as excessive as quantity six within the World, attributable to his wins in York and Germany.
Q Tour Occasion 4 is scheduled to happen in Manchester from November 8-10.
Picture screenshot from Victoria Snooker Academy’s Twitter feed…